Racing game



Dec. 5, 1961 J. MODICA, JR, ET AL ,787

RACING GAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1, 1959 Arm/ 549 Dec. 5, 1961 J. MODICA, JR., ETAL 87 BY W Dec. 5, 1961 J. MODICA, JR, ET AL 3,011,737

RACING GAME Filed May 1, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 m i INVENTORS fasz/w/ Mo 02 f/P. 8 8 BY FZf/Pf A! f/VS/G/V United States Patent 3,011,787 Patented Dec. 5, 1961 3,011,787 RACING GAME Joseph Modica, In, Garden City South, and Robert H. Ensign, Bronxviile, N.Y., assignors to Tudor Metal Products Corporation, Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 1, 1959, Ser. No. 810,356 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-86) This invention relates to a game and has particular reference to an amusement device for playing a racing game.

An object of the invention is to provide a racing game in which racing pieces are caused to move over race tracks which are tortuous in nature whereby an unpredictable result is obtained in the race.

Another object of the inventionis to provide a racing game of said character in which each of the race tracks intersects or crosses certain of the other tracks to thereby provide the possibility that the racing pieces may collide during the course of the race so as to retard or impede the progress of the racing pieces.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a racing game having race tracks which include a winding or tortuous track portion for each racing piece and a common track portion of endless formation with outlets to a finishing area for the several racing pieces so that each of the racing pieces enters the common track portion adjacent the completion of the race and may travel unpredictably about the common track portion a number of times before reaching the finishing area to thereby render the termination of the race uncertain.

Another object of the invention is to provide a racing game in which the several tracks have upwardly extendiug side walls which confine the racing pieces thereto for movement along the tracks by vibratory action imparted to the panel providing the tracks.

Still another object of the invention is to provide racing pieces composed of upper and lower separable parts, each of the upper parts being interchangeable with the lower parts of the several pieces and the lower parts being provided with narrow transversely extending flexible elements which engage the race tracks and cause the racing pieces to advance with the vibratory action of the playing panel defining the tracks.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a racing game which is played by racing pieces having sharpened forward ends and oppositely curved forward side edges to prevent the playing pieces jamming at the intersections of the race tracks.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a racing panel and support of a racing game showing the race track to he traveled by the playing pieces and the starting and finishing areas thereof.

FIG. 2' is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken approximately on line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken apnoximately on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the racing pieces showing the parts thereof in separated juxtaposition.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken approximately on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on line 66 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the racing game includes a racing panel 19 of rectangular formation supported by a frame 11 having corner pieces 13 secured thereto which project below the panel for supporting the same in spaced relation from a supporting surface.

The frame 11 includes a peripheral wall 14, a top wall 15 and a central panel 16 which is depressed below the top wall 15. The panel 1% overlies the central panel is and is glued thereto throughout its extent and is further secured thereto by rivets 17 or equivalent fastening means. Secured to the under side of the top wall 15 adjacent one corner thereof is an electrically actuated vibratory device 18 which functions to produce vertical vibrations or reciprocations of the central panel 16 and racing panel 16 so as to elfect movement of the playing pieces in the race.

The racing panel it) includes a starting area 19 located at one end thereof, a finishing area 20 located at the oppo site end and a plurality of race tracks which include race track portions 21, 22, 23 and 24 which emanate from the starting area 19 and wind about in a tortuous manner with each of the track portions crossing a plurality of the other track portions in substantially right angular relation. Thus, the track portion 21 crosses the track portion 22 at intersections 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 and also crosses the track portion 23 at intersection 30. The track portion 22 crosses the track portion 21 at intersections 27, 26, 25, 28 and 29 and also crosses the track portion 24 at intersections 31 and 32 and the track portion 23 at intersection 33. The track portion 23' crosses the track portion 24 at intersections 34 and 35 and also crosses the track portion 21 at intersection 30 and crosses the track portion 22 at intersection 33. The track portion 24 crosses the track portion 23 at intersections 34 and 3,5 and also crosses the track portion 22 at intersections 31 and 32. The track portions 2-1, 22, 23 and 24 have upwardly extending side Walls 37, 38, 39 and 49 respectively which extend continuously along the sides thereof except at said intersections. Thi functions to confine the racing pieces to said track portions in their movement toward the finishing area.

The several race tracks also include a common race track portion 42 of endless or circuitous formation located. adjacent the finishing area 29. This race track portion includes two complete loops 43 and 44 which are joined together at the juncture 45 with the tracks at the juncture intersecting in substantially right angular relation. An arcuate track portion 46 branches from one side of the loop 44 and communicates with the other side thereof in such a manner that the racing pieces after crossing the intersection 45 may unpredictably enter the shorter track portion 46 or continue about the end of the loop 44. The looped portions 43 and 44 communicate with the fin shing area 20 by track portions 4 and 48 respectively which branch therefrom in such a manner that the racing pieces may unpredictably enter the branch track portions 47 and 48 or continue to travel in the looped track portion.

The track. portion 21 enters the looped track portion 43 at 49 in angular relation therewith so as to direct the racing piece around said looped portion to the left. The track portion 22 crosses the looped track portion 43 in substantially right angular relation at intersections 50 and 51 and crosses the looped portion 42 at intersection 52 and communicates with the opposite side of said looped portion 42 at 53 in angular relation so as to direct the playing piece to continue unpredictably toward the finishing area 20 or toward the intersection 45. The race track portion 23 enters the looped track portion 43 at 54 in angular relation therewith so as to direct the racing piece around said looped portion to the left. The track portion 24 enters the looped track portion 44 at 55 in angular relation therewith so as to direct the racing pieces around said looped portion to the right.

pieces cannot re-enter the track portions 21, 22, 23'

and 24.

The racing pieces 6 include a base 61 and a racing element which may be of any character such as a sports car 62 as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings. The racing elements 62 are removably associated with the bases 61 and may be interchangeably mounted on any of the other bases. The base 61 of each racing piece includes laterally extending linear supports 63 adjacent the front and rear thereof which are flexible and are canted rearwardly whereby they flex with the vibratory movement of the racing panel to effect movement of the playing pieces along the race tracks toward the finishing area. The interchangeability of the racing elements 62 with the bases 61 renders it possible to provide each racing element with a different base each subsequent race. This is preferable since due to the flexibility and angularity of the linear supports 63 one base may travel faster than the others.

While the intersections of the race tracks have been described as being located in substantially right angular relation, it is to be understood that the invention is not into another, particularly if the playing pieces collide which frequently occurs at the intersections. Furthermore, the length of the base of each playing piece is greater than the diagonal distance across an intersection. The playing pieces are of the same length and the tracks are of uniform width.

The vibratory device 18 may be of any desired construction to effect vertical vibrations of the racing panel 10. It is to be understood that the central panel 16 to which the racing panel 10 is secured is relatively flexible for vertical vibrations since the same is connected with the top wall of the frame 11 at the periphery thereof only. This connection is by a depending peripheral wall 65 which disposes the panel 16 in depressed relation.

'As illustrated, the vibratory device functions to effect vertical vibrations by reversals of current in an electromagnetic coil 66. The coil is contained within a housing 67 afiixed to the top wall 15 at one corner thereof 'Wlth the housing spaced from the central panel 16 and with a soft iron core 68 secured within the coil. An adjustable metal stud 69 is threaded in an opening in the panel 10 and projects through the panel 16 with the inner end thereof disposed in spaced relation with reference to the upper end of the core 68. The ends of the coil are connected to an insulated conductor cord 78 having a plug 71 at the end thereof for plugging the same into an alternating current supply and with a switch 72 interposed in the conductor cord for manually turning on and off the current to the coil. A spring 73 is arranged between the head of the stud and the panel 10 for tensioning the stud so as to retain the same in set position. The stud is adjustable by turning the same so as to vary the spacing of the inner end thereof from the core to thereby vary the length of the vibrations. Constructed in this manner the vibratory device 18 functions to effect rapid vertical vibrations of the panel 16 and racing panel 19 by the alternating current.

In order that the bases 61 of the playing pieces 60 be interchangeable, the bases are formed with an upper portion 75 having a longitudinally extending slot 76 which 'is closed at the front and opens through the rear thereof.

The slot is widened from the rear to substantially the middle of the base with the inner end of the widened portion extending under oppositely disposed rim portions 77. The racing element 62 includes a slide 78 having a narrow forward portion 79 and a widened rear portion 80 and with a widened medial portion 81 which slidably fits beneath the oppositely disposed rim portions 77. The narrow portion 79 slidably fits the forward end of the slot 76 while the widened rear portion thereof slidably fits the widened end portion of the slot.

In playing the game, the racing pieces 69 are disposed at the beginning of the race track portions 21, 22, 23 and 24 respectively. Thus, there are four racing pieces for each race. However, there may be a relatively larger number of bases 61 so that each of the sports cars 62 may have a different base for each subsequent race. The vibratory device is connected with a source of current supply and the switch 72 thrown to place the vibratory device in operation. The playing pieces then travel along the said track portions and may collide at the intersections so as to slow up the racing pieces. However, the vibrations cause the pieces to disengage and continue along their respective courses until they enter the common race track portion 42. In traveling around this track portion the pieces may unpredictably pass through the branch track portion 46 and may also pass either of the branch track portions 47 and 48 leading to the finishing area and continue an unpredictable number of times about the common track portion 42 before enter ing the finishing area 20.

While the preferred form of the invention is shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the same is not so limited but shall cover and include any and all modifications thereof which fall within the purview of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a racing game, a racing panel having a plurality of tortuous race track portions emanating from a common starting area and each having upwardly extending opposite side walls defining a guide way of uniform width throughout between said side walls for a racing piece, each of said track portions winding about in a tortuous manner and each crossing certain of the other track portions in substantially right angular relation therewith a plurality of times, said side walls of each of the track portions starting at said common starting area and extending continuously along said tortuous track portions except at the locations of said crossings so as to confine a racing piece to each guide way throughout the length thereof, a circuitous track portion having branches terminating in a finishing area, said circuitous track portion having upwardly extending opposite side walls providing a guide Way of uniform width throughout between said side walls for the racing pieces, and said tortuous track portions communicating with said circuitous track portion at spaced locations whereby said circuitous track portion provides a common track portion for all of the racing pieces.

2. In a racing game, a racing panel having a plurality of tortuous race track portions emanating from a common starting area and each having upwardly extending opposite side walls defining a guide way of uniform width throughout between said side Walls for a racing piece, each of said track portions Winding about in a tortuous manner and each crossing certain of the other track portions in substantially right angular relation therewith a plurality of times, said side walls of each of the track portions starting at said common starting area and extending continuously along said tortuous track portions except at the locations of said crossings so as to confine a racing piece to each guide way throughout the length thereof, a circuitous track portion having branches terminating in a finishing area and including two connected loops with the tracks thereof connected at a crossing, said circuitous track portion having upwardly extending opposite side walls providing a guide way of uniform width throughout between said side walls for the racing pieces, said tortuous track portions communicating with said circuitous track portion at spaced locations whereby said circuitous track portion provides a common track portion for all of the racing pieces, and said side walls extending continuously along said circuitous track portion except at said crossing and where said tortuous track portions communicate therewith.

3. in a racing game, a racing panel having a starting area, at least four tortuous race track portions emanating from the starting area in spaced relation and each having upwardly extending opposite side walls defining a guide way of uniform width throughout between said side walls for a racing piece, each of said track portions winding about in a tortuous manner and each crossing at least two of the other track portions in substantially right angular relation therewith, said side walls of each of the track portions starting at said common starting area and extending continuously along said tortuous track portions except at the locations of said crossings so as to confine a racing piece to each guide way throughout the length thereof, a finishing area, a circuitous track portion including two connected loops with the tracks thereof connected at a crossing, each of said loops having branches in communication at their ends with said circuitous track portion, branch course portions extending from said circuitous track portion and terminating in said finishing area, said circuitous track portion and said branches having upwardly extending opposite side walls providing guide ways of uniform width throughout between said side walls for the racing pieces, said tortuous track portions being connected with said circuitous track portion at spaced locations whereby said circuitous track portion provides a common track portion for all of the racing pieces, and said side walls extending continuously along said circuitous track portion and said branches except at said crossing and where said tortuous track portions and said branches communicate with said circuitous track portion.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and a plurality of elongated racing pieces in said track portions, the racing pieces having a width less than the width of the track portion, the racing pieces being sufiiciently long to prevent their turning from one track to another at said crossings but sufliciently short to permit their unpredictable continuation along said circuitous track portion or entry into a said branch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 26,186 Schwartz Oct. 13, 1896 2,167,985 Levay Aug. 1, 1939 2,318,793 Pait May 11, 1943 2,525,738 Tormey Oct. 10, 1950 2,772,512 Modica Dec. 4, 1956 

